On the ninth day of the twelfth month in the fifth year of the Ten Directions Emperor calendar, the entire Ten Directions Empire was celebrating. Countless common folk emerged from their homes, and innumerable cultivators opened the doors of their secluded training grounds, joining the empire's grand feast.
It could be said that for Ye Ting's first birthday banquet, Ye Yun had gone to extraordinary lengths to make it incredibly grand. Ye Yun also designated this day as the Celebration Day. All cultivators and commoners from any star domain were forbidden from any act of killing for three days before and after the Celebration Day. Any infraction would be severely punished by the empire.
Two days later, in the Seventh Heaven, Ye Yun sat on the imperial throne, looking at the eight Quasi-Emperors brought by Liu Hai, a cold smile gracing his lips.
During the Celebration, Ye Yun had not met these individuals. Instead, he had prepared a meal in the hậu cung and dined quietly with Ding Yi and the others. Only today did he truly emerge.
"Should I address you as the Wood-Butterfly, or Mu Xiao Die? Or perhaps the Heaven-Supporting Emperor Lord?"
"Your Majesty may call me whatever you wish. It is merely a name." The Demon Butterfly sat in the first chair to Ye Yun's left, seemingly unfazed by the mockery in his tone.
"Oh?" Ye Yun was momentarily taken aback by the Demon Butterfly's words. This opponent's stance was quite humble.
Their return for his child's first birthday banquet had already surprised Ye Yun. He hadn't expected them to maintain such a low profile even with so many Quasi-Emperors present. This forced Ye Yun to question their true intentions.
"Your arrival in my empire this time is more than just to offer congratulations, isn't it? If you're here to negotiate peace, then please return. Since I have embarked on the Emperor's Path, this Ten Directions Universe must be my dominion."
Ye Yun looked at the Demon Butterfly, then at Mu Tian beside her, and grinned. These alien races, whose strength reached the Quasi-Emperor level, bore a striking resemblance to humans in appearance. They looked somewhat like half-human, half-ghost, which Ye Yun found novel yet perplexing.
"If Your Majesty can grant me one request, then what does it matter if Xiao Die withdraws from the Emperor's Path?" The Demon Butterfly looked at Ye Yun seated on the throne, feeling his boundless and powerful aura. For the first time, she directly experienced the might of this ruler who had established such a vast Ten Directions Empire in less than a decade.
From the Ka Mu Star Domain onwards, the Demon Butterfly had harbored thoughts of withdrawal. It wasn't until these past few days, witnessing the prosperity of this human star domain, that she felt her own failure for the first time.
In her original worldview, alien races had to be suppressed with the utmost power, their wealth plundered, and any possibility of their rise extinguished.
Most importantly, on the day of the banquet, they had followed Liu Hai to the Sixth Heaven and dined with ten thousand lords who had come from other star domains to celebrate. They had seen the civil and military officials who received them from the Ten Directions Empire, and thus understood the power of the entire Ten Directions Empire.
"A condition? Heh, to be honest, you are utterly unqualified to negotiate terms with me. However, you may speak and let me hear it."
Ye Yun's words not only made the Demon Butterfly uncomfortable but also irked the sect forces present.
"If I abandon the Emperor's Path, I hope Your Majesty can designate a star domain for our Mu Wu tribe to inhabit, and for it to be exempt from imperial taxation. Furthermore, this star domain must be managed by us independently, with no interference from the Ten Directions Empire."
This was essentially a nation within a nation!
Ye Yun looked at the Demon Butterfly, then considered it and understood her plan.
The Mu Wu tribe was almost annihilated in the First Star Domain after the Kunlun Mirror released its malevolent energy. Their current total population was estimated to be only tens of millions. Although they could rely on the strength of the hidden sects, if a war were to break out, according to the usual tactics of these sects, their Mu Wu tribe might indeed be wiped out in such a conflict.
"One star domain, subject to the supervision of my empire. If there is any act of rebellion, annihilation! This is my absolute bottom line! This includes all of you from the sects!"
"Furthermore, if I discover any of your sects are still harboring cultivators for blood exchange, I will destroy your lineages without hesitation! Do you understand?"
After uttering these words, Ye Yun's gaze fixed intently on the members of the five great sects.
"Lord Ye, your constant talk of annihilation, of destroying lineages, is not a sign of goodwill."
Xian Wang Zuo was already displeased that he was seated behind the Demon Butterfly. Before, it was because the Demon Butterfly was on the Emperor's Path, which was useful to him. Now that the Demon Butterfly was not on the Emperor's Path, but still occupied a superior position, it made him extremely uncomfortable. Now, hearing Ye Yun's threatening words, his head felt as if it were engulfed in flames of anger.
"Goodwill? What is goodwill? If I had no goodwill, do you five think you could have brought your spiritual artifacts in?"
"Spiritual artifacts? I don't understand what Emperor Ye is referring to."
Ye Yun's words greatly startled Xian Wang and the others, while the Demon Butterfly, Mu Tian, and Qian Chenzi looked at them with sheer terror.
"You are all old foxes who have lived for millions of years, yet you still try to fool me? But it's fine if you don't admit it, I'll bring them out!"
In the Way of Space, their inner dantian, sea of consciousness, and even their storage spaces were merely transparent membranes in Ye Yun's eyes.
"What's happening? This... what power is this? What have you done?" The Demon King, known for his volatile temper, had intended to make a move while Ye Yun was speaking. However, a terrifying realization struck him: he found that he could only move within a small radius and was unable to break free from his seat by even half a meter!
In other words, they had all been sealed by Ye Yun's spatial power without their knowledge!
When the others saw the Demon King attempting to act, only to collide with an invisible wall, their expressions also turned extremely grim.
"Come out!" The seemingly ordinary words from Ye Yun's mouth resonated like thunderous roars in their ears, leaving their five senses and spiritual consciousness blank.
When they regained their senses, they witnessed a scene they would never forget.
Their respective sect's foundational spiritual artifacts were now floating before Ye Yun, spinning rapidly. They could even feel an aura of terror emanating from the artifact spirits of these five spiritual artifacts – a terror directed at Ye Yun.
"Xian Wang Palace's Immortal Slaying Sword, the Buddhist Sect's Samsara Bowl, the Oracle Hall's Heavenly Book, the Ghost King Sect's Ghost King Banner, and the Demon King Palace's Heavenly Demon Blade. Coupled with the Heavenly Dao Sect's Kunlun Mirror, the spiritual artifacts of these six great sects are all here."
Ye Yun's laughter boomed, and he released the Kunlun Mirror he held.
"Ye Yun, what do you want!!" At this moment, Xian Wang was no longer composed. His entire body was consumed by immense fear.
What kind of terrifying power was required to instantly expel these five powerful individuals from their seas of consciousness? And what kind of strength was needed to simultaneously suppress the five most powerful spiritual artifacts in this Ten Directions Heaven and Earth?